Kilgore: Hard Work, Ethics, Good Timing Keys to Success

Jason Kilgore said his story to success is largely due to hard work, passion and being fair in business. The Kilgore Companies CEO spoke at the ACG Utah breakfast Tuesday morning.

Kilgore joined the construction industry at age 13, working for his stepdad’s paving company, and loved it so much that when he got out of school, he decided to start Kilgore Paving. At the time, the company only had three employees: Kilgore, his brother and his brother in law.

The company made $150,000 in revenue in its first year and then doubled every year for the next seven years. By the time Kilgore sold his company in 2010, he said it had nearly 200 employees and more than $50 million in revenue.

While he never thought he’d sell Kilgore Paving, Kilgore said when the right offer came it was one he had to admit was right for his business and family. He’d been approached many times before, but the timing and the offer was too good to turn down that time.

He said it helped that he could trust the people with whom he was doing business. “I believe that if you run a business with integrity, ethics—you do what you say—then you’ll be successful.”

The acquisition presented many challenges. As Kilgore became the new CEO of Kilgore Companies, he struggled to integrate the cultures and people from six different companies. But the work was worth it to see the growth and future potential Kilgore Companies has, he said.